Library News

The Library would like you to know that they're celebrating Latine & Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15.

It's Library Card Signup Month. If you haven't, that link will tell you how to get a Palo Alto Library card (and whether you can), and Mitchell Park Library is a couple blocks from our book sale.

You can find out about things like this from the Palo Alto City Library Blogs page. Or you can subscribe to them with an RSS reader.

You can also find out about all this stuff and more from an infrequent e-mail from the Library. There's a signup form.

-Frank McConnell

 
FOPAL Members' General Meeting

FOPAL Members' General Meeting, at Rinconada Library on October 9th at 10:30 am.

-Jenny Munro

 
Start a family library!

If you ask many book lovers, the most important piece of furniture in a room is the bookcase. A home library doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive to provide rich reading experiences. Many children have their bookcases in their bedrooms, and in many homes, books can be found displayed in almost every room of the house. For these families reading materials are simply a part of everyday family life. FOPAL can help you fill your family library with a wonderful assortment of books and it won't cost you much at all. With regular trips to our monthly sales and visiting each of our three sales rooms, you can easily create a family library. Remember, just about anything goes in a family library. Paperback and hardcover books, a dictionary, an atlas, songbooks, magazines for parents and kids, newspapers....

If you need suggestions for books while shopping, FOPAL's book rooms look for a volunteer floor person and ask for their advice. Most of our volunteers are avid readers and would be eager to point you toward books perfect for you and your family.

Check out the September Specials to add to your library: Special Bindings/Franklin Library, Architecture, Computers/Vintage Computer Festival books, Drama/Shakespeare & Sets!

If you're looking for books during the week or on non-sale weekends, you'll want to check out the Mitchell Park Friends of the Library Bookstore, or the Downtown or Rinconada FOPAL gondolas. These sales areas are open during library hours and restocked weekly with fresh books on various subjects.

-Janette Herceg

 
Special Bindings

This month we are featuring books with special bindings, including slip cased books from The Library of America and books with more elaborately decorated bindings from The International Collectors Library. We also have an excellent selection of books from The Franklin Library (both fiction and non-fiction) with beautiful leather bindings and gilt edges, all in immaculate condition. These books, which would make an elegant contribution to any bookcase, are very reasonably priced.

-Melinda

 
Architecture

The Architecture special has been expanded and refreshed with more wonderful books about architectural history, monographs on specific architects or buildings, and essays.

There is a large new section devoted to urban planning.

-Melinda

 
Children's Room

It's been five weeks since the last book sale--a week longer than usual--and our shelves are unusually full because of the extra week's donations. Teachers will want to visit the School-age Fiction section, where the shelves of books by award-winning authors are loaded with terrific buys for classroom libraries. In addition, fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid will find almost every book in the series, and the Popular Authors cart is packed. You'll also find gift-quality editions of favorites: a beautifully illustrated version of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows; The Land of Stories: A Treasury of Classic Fairy Tales, by Chris Colfer; and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 100th Anniversary Edition. We also have gift sets of the Marguerite Henry Stable of Classics, the Ruskin Bond Collection, The Hardy Boys Starter Set, Theodore Boone by John Grisham, The Inheritance Cycle (list price $95, our price $20), Marvel Avengers Phase 1, and Choose Your Own Adventure.

In Non-Fiction, we are featuring beautiful books on art and the arts, including dance, drama, and music. You'll find them on the shelves and the display table. (When we sort donations, we frequently exclaim over the wonderful books that go to Non-Fiction--check them out!)

If you have children in Chinese immersion programs, you'll find helpful items such as a popular encyclopedia set as well as math and science workbooks in Chinese. We also have our usual assortment of DVDs, CDs, chapter books, and picture books in both traditional and simplified characters. There are many books in Korean and Japanese, and this month we received a rare donation of Thai picture books, which you'll find on the bottom left shelf along with other Asian language picture books in Hindi and Arabic.

Beginning Readers has a huge number of sets of quick/easy books for early and beginning readers that would be perfect for families and classrooms. Parenting offers books for new parents, parents of teens, and parents of kids with special needs. And as usual, we have a wide selection of DVDs for families to enjoy together.

The giftable items in our Activities section include detailed coloring books and card games, all in like-new condition. Once again, we have many books on math, science, coding, and chess, plus several books on video games. There is an entire bin of origami and paper airplane books, as well as shelves brimming with graphic novels. Our joke books fill two whole bins. Finally, our most unusual item is a complete bocce ball set in a canvas carrying case!

-Carolyn Davidson

 
Children's Vintage

Lots of good things are happening in Children's Vintage in September! Our featured author this month is Enid Blyton, a prolific mid-20th century English writer of children's books including Noddy, Famous Five and Secret Seven among others. Following the success of her earlier novels, she built a literary empire, sometimes producing 50 books a year! As unlikely as it sounds, she denied having an army of ghost writers. Luckily for us, we have many Enid Blyton books on our shelves this month to give you a sample of her range.

We also have a vintage Ravensburger game (ages 10+) called Scotland Yard. Catch the thief as you travel around London, taking the Tube and Overground to the various sites. Big Little Books are also a "thing" this month. Typically 3-5/8" x 4-1/2" x 1-1/2", these unique books were first published by Whitman and then Saalfield, highlighting radio programs and comic strip characters. We have five on sale this month, so grab one while you can. And if you're a fairy tale fan, we have lots of Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Andersen to choose from.

Not to be forgotten, there are many books for younger readers in nice dust jackets this month, including a boxed Make Way for Ducklings in especially nice condition.

Shelf pictures are available at www.fopalbooks.com.

-Lisa Heitman

 
September Book Review

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Emily Windsnap is a teenage girl living a normal life with her single mom on a boat in a quiet little portside town. An ordinary life but with one exception: Her mother never lets her into the sea or in any body of water. Suddenly her life becomes topsy turvy when she is shoved into a pool by a bully. Emily discovers a whole new different side of herself that is both terrifying yet exhilarating. This life-changing experience leads Emily to explore new places and new sides of herself.

Readers will resonate with Emily on her adventures in discovering what and who she truly is. Filled with characters with distinct personalities, through Emily, readers can learn about the deep importance of family and to truly treasure the bonds between them. A wonderful journey full of magic, family, and grit, this story is perfect for anyone who loves mermaids and magic. This gorgeous novel is recommended for ages 7 to 9, and the first of eight enchanting books of the series.

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Katsa, the niece of the barbaric king, is the dog of the kingdom. Her uncle shackled her to his bidding the moment her Grace, or her enhanced ability manifested in the midst of the glittering courts of the Middluns. Katsa rues her very existence, disgusted by her Graced ability of killing, and the horrendous acts her uncle forced her to do in the service of the kingdom. But her life is thrown into chaos the moment she meets a handsome, foreign prince named Po, who causes Katsa to start wondering about what she could have been if she had stood up for herself. As Katsa and Po are bound into an unlikely partnership, due to plots threatening to derail the stability of the kingdoms, Katsa's eyes are opened in many ways that will help build this amazing character.

This wonderful, debut novel will amaze readers, and is perfect for teenage girls. The themes inside the book are centered around the idea of truly understanding and loving oneself, as well as themes revolving around strong female characters and feminism. This book has so much depth, with themes building on top of eachother revealing ideas that speak to people around the world. I strongly recommend this book to teachers, librarians, and kids for anything from presents, free reading books, and classroom books. (Ages 13 - 16)

-Emma Chen

 
Humor

The two new and most unusual books this month are about Pigeons and Unicorns. They are both cartoon books with Steve Martin being one of the authors of A Wealth of Pigeons. They are in perfect condition and if you want something weird for yourself or as a gift these would fit the bill. They are on the top shelf with the other cartoon books where you will also find a very good edition of The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker.

Shelf photos at https://fopalbooks.com/humor.html

-Nigel Jones

 
Philosophy

The undoubted book of the month, and making its first appearance, is a biography of Kierkegaard by Joakim Graff considered to be a definitive exploration of the great Danish philosopher. It has 857 pages and in perfect as-new condition. This book would typically go directly to our high value online store, however for one month it will be available at our upcoming sale with a special discount for our Main Room costumers.

Next month's special will be our best ever offering of Plato and Aristotle.

Shelf photos at https://fopalbooks.com/philosophy.html

-Nigel Jones

 
Judaica

Browse the Judaica section for books on the Jewish religion and culture including editions of the Torah and other basic texts, Kabbalah, Jewish history, the Holocaust, memoirs, Israel, Jewish Women, the Jewish American Experience and other related subjects.

Special interest this month -

• Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America
• A Student's Obligation: Advice from the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto
• RBG's Brave & Brilliant Women: 33 Jewish Women to Inspire Everyone
• Jewish Women and Their Salons: The Power of Conversation
• My Parents Went Through the Holocaust and All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt
• Psychoanalytic Reflections on the Holocaust

Also of interest are a few machzorim for the holidays on the top shelf.

Most fiction with Jewish themes will be found in Modern Literature/Classics or Current Fiction. Books entirely in Hebrew are shelved in the European Languages section.

Shelf photos at https://fopalbooks.com/judaica.html

-Charlotte Epstein, Judaica Section Manager

 
Poetry

Warm September brings the fruit,
Sportsmen then begin to shoot.
Take aim at books of rhyme and verse.
Your weekend could be spent much worse.
This month Rod McKuen's king
For those who like that kind of thing.
But do not fear, there's lots of ops
To aim for poets with more chops.

photos to be seen at https://fopalbooks.com/poetry.html

-Mandy MacCalla

 
Home & Crafts

The September Home shelves include makeup, beauty, and hair care, plus Three Black Skirts by Anna Johnson. Look for the fashion retrospective: Icons of Fashion: The 20th Century. This month we have Martha Stewart's Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations. For home decorating ideas, try Pure Style: Accessible New Ideas for Every Room in Your Home, as well as several kitchen and bath references. Get inspired with Italian Country Living, or Living in Morocco: Design from Casablanca to Marrakesh. Are you overwhelmed by clutter? We have a full range of titles for home organizing and maintenance: Clutter Clearing Choices, It's All Too Much, and The Declutter Workbook among others. Afraid to tackle it alone? Try Home Repair and Improvement: 100 Things You Don't Need a Man For.

This September in Floral Arts you'll find: Everlastings: How to Grow, Harvest, & Create with Dried Flowers; The Art of Arranging Silk Flowers; and The Meaning of Flowers. Look for a special title featured on our Crafts shelves: Steampunk Style Jewelry: Victorian, Fantasy, and Mechanical Necklaces, Bracelets, and Earrings. Find other guides on beaded jewelry as well mosaics. We have several books on bookmaking, creating origami, making paper planes, and coloring books. New this month are many titles on pottery and ceramics. In Fabric Arts try to recycle your sewing with Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials by Betz White. Other instructional guides include: quilting, knitting, crocheting, and needlepoint, as well as macramé and weaving.

Shelf photos can be found at https://fopalbooks.com/crafts.html.

-Virginia Perry

 
Antiques & Collections

Do you collect dinnerware? Antiques titles this September feature The Best of Collectible Dinnerware by Joe Cunningham. You'll also find titles on Fiestaware, as well as plastic kitchenware. For more elegant collecting, try Delffse Porceleyne: Dutch delftware 1620-1850. This month there are two guides to Asian art: Oriental Antiques & Art: An Identification and Value Guide by Sandra Andacht, and Oriental Antiques and Collections by Arthur and Grace Chu. We also have a catalog of 'the father of the poster', French artist Jules Chéret. Look for many titles on coins and stamps, furniture and rugs, and other resources for your collecting reference.

Shelf photo can be found at https://fopalbooks.com/crafts.html.

-Virginia Perry

 
Self Help/Personal Growth

Some featured books this month are: The Good Life; Scarcity Brain; Ego; Power Tools for the 21st Century and Becoming Your Best. Check out some new and unique workbooks placed above the 'Popular on Amazon' shelves. There are over a dozen books on NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) donated by me, who found them extremely useful along my personal growth journey and I'm ready to pass them on to another soul. To make your browsing easier, each month I put the 'new arrivals' on marked shelves. Books that were 'new' the previous month get moved to a subsection, if appropriate, or get moved down to lower shelves. As Always, BARGAINS abound, so come on by! Peace for All,

-Marnie

 
Sociology/Anthropology

The September sale features quite a few books by famous scholars. I will introduce some of them. Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire develops the argument for a system of education that "urges viewing students as interlocutors or partners in the learning process." More than fifty years after the book was published in English, it keeps attracting readers and inspiring debates. In 2018, on the 50th anniversary of the book, Bloomsbury released its new edition. The Sociology/Anthropology section offers an older edition of Freire's book in the subsection on theories and methods.

Another book in this sub-section that I want to draw your attention to is a 1944 book by Gunnar Myrdal An American Dilemma. As Social Science Research Council wrote in 2021, "For Myrdal and his collaborators, the central dilemma was the unresolved tension of the 'American creed'-the celebration of ideals of equal opportunity and democracy, in the face of deep and enduring racial discrimination and inequality. The dilemma has changed, but it has not receded." So, reading the book may be worthwhile even though it was first published eighty years ago.

There are two more books from the Theories and Methods subsection that I want to present: The Wretched of the Earth (first published in 1963) by Frantz Fanon and The Great Transformation (first published in 1944) by Karl Polanyi. Foreign Affairs wrote in 1997 reviewing Fanon's book: "Fanon, a French-trained psychiatrist from Martinique who became an activist in the Algerian revolution, berated African elites for their bourgeois tendencies and narrow nationalism and called on African intellectuals to identify with popular strivings." Discussing Polanyi's book, The Conversation pointed out that "in his view, the attempt by liberal social engineers to establish a 'self-regulated' market system was bound to tear the social fabric, provoking responses that would undermine the operation of the system itself."

Unlike the books presented above all of which were published in the twentieth century, the last book to which I want to point-Death of Despair and the Future of Capitalism by Angus Deaton and Anne Case-has been recently published. In an interview for VOX, the authors-both economic professors at Princeton-talk about their research and explain its findings. The book can be found in the U.S.: Self-Reflection subsection.

Finally, I want to mention two new subsections: Cultural Anthropology: City and the one that I named "In case you need more copies". The latter contains double copies of some books that have been accumulated over the last few months. Overall, the Sociology/Anthropology section offers 506 books for the September sale.

-Natalia Koulinka

 
Classic and Modern Fiction

I'm continuing my special section with books from the New York Times' list of the 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. You'll find them on the top shelf of the section near the middle aisle. I'll continue to refresh this special for the next several months as I receive different copies.

-Melinda

 
Nature

This month in the Nature section, we have a rainbow of Audobon guide books and many fun laminated pamphlets for all your outdoor activities before fall sets in. And check out some gorgeous vintage books with illustrations you won't find anywhere else.

-Serena Bramble

 
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror

I didn't know Ira Levin had written a sequel to Rosemary's Baby but here it is, Son of Rosemary. A flood of SF paperbacks from several decades came in this month. The anthology shelf that was so picked over last month is replenished. A few unusual ones featured on the top shelf, like the Howard Waldrop/Jake Saunders The Texas-Israeli War: 1999, Thomas Disch's novelization of The Prisoner TV show, and John M. Ford's Casting Fortune. There's also a small collection of British Doctor Who novels, including several titles I've never seen which may not have gotten much distribution in the US. The boxed set shelf is full, including a distinguished-looking hubbed leather binding of Jean Auel's Earth's Children books. Shelf pictures on fopalbooks.com.

-Rich

 
Donations

We accept donations on Monday through Saturday from 3-5 pm in the Main Room. But we close to donations in the week before the sale so that we can prepare the Main Room for the sale. Which means that we are closed for donations from Sunday September 8 through Sunday September 15. Please hold your donations until Monday September 16.

Please read our donation guidelines before you bring materials to us.

 
Suggestions?

We're always eager to hear your suggestions for ways to improve our book sale. Please email us at suggestions@friendspaloaltolib.org.